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mid-priced bright and sharp 10x (1 Viewer)

B

buff

Well-known member
After owning some 15 binos I noticed that brightness and sharpness are probably most important to me, most of these bins are 6x-8x binos and they gave me good performance for the money. Best I own is Pentax DCF WP 8x42, but I wanted more power so I went for 10x and bought Minox IF 9.5x42 which was not satisfactory: colors appear pale, terrible stray-light suppression, in some situations you see circle of white light at the edge, and bad eye-releif, which was supposed to be 19mm, constantly press bino against eye-glass. My next 10x was Fuji CD which gives very good performance in middle of sunny day, bright and sharp but as soon as bright day turns to overcast bino turns noticably and distractingly dim. I actualy get impression as though bino is not FMC and phase coated, image turns from bright to yellow.
I have never owned alpha bino and I doubt I ever will, so my question is what mid-priced 10x bino can you suggest me. How much diffrence is there supposed to be in terms of brightness between 8x42 and 10x42?

Thanx.
 
The Vortex Viper 10 x 42 is often considered to be the brightest and sharpest midpriced 10 power binocular out there. Check out the comments in this thread:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=68081

But an 8 x 42 is going to be brighter. I recall one thread here in which it was reported that the Viper 8 x 42 was noticeably brighter than even the Swarovski EL 10 x 42.

I use the Viper 8 x 42 myself. I prefer eight power binoculars. The 8 x 42 has excellent eye relief, but I am not sure about the 10 x 42 -- it is listed at 16.5 mm. Reviews recommend even the 10 x 42 viper for eyeglass wearers though.

Hope this helps,
Jim
 
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Hi Buff, if you really want to treat yourself to top-class 10x optics at a lower than middle range price, get yourself a pair of Nikon EII 10x35. I got a pair a few months ago and can only agree with all the wonderful things that have been said about them. Optics as good as "top of the range" 10x bins I have owned, much smaller, much lighter, equally as sharp and bright, much wider FOV. The downside is they're not waterproof, they're porros (if you consider that a downside!) and they aren't widely available anymore. But there are a few online stores that still have some, Acecameras of Bath in the UK is one. Apparently they are also still on sale in Japan. They cost me about 370 euro.
 
Renze de Vries said:
10.5x44 Kowa XD ? You'll lose some brightness and depth of focus compared to the 8.5, but not that much.

Renze
Click to expand...

At $1329 U.S., that is not what I would consider mid-priced. A recent review of midpriced binoculars in an American magazine looked at binoculars priced $300-$800 U.S. It is also quite heavy. (34 ounces).

Jim
 
The difference in brightness between an 8x42 and a 10x42 is about the same as the difference between an 8x42 and an 8x32. And many people will tell you that 8x32s have good enough brightness for most daytime birding.

But midprice 10x42s ($300-$500) have other optical drawbacks. Most in this price range have less eye relief and less field of view than 8x42s. So if you are set on 10x, you are going to have to make some compromises -- but brightness won't be the biggest one.

If I were to get a mid-price 10x42 right now, I would look for ones with the newest coating technologies: phase coating, silver-coated prisms, and the new multi-multi-coatings (manufacturers have different names for this, High Resolution Coatings, etc.). It's amazing what these new coatings can do for brightness.
 
Another option worth considering is the Vortex Razor 10 x 42. $770 U. S., but it is supposed to be optically a cut above the very well reviewed Vortex Viper 10 x 42; however, it is also heavier, coming in at 29 ounces. I think these both have the types of coatings trashbird is referring to.

Jim
 
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If you act quickly you can still get a Nikon 10 x 42 SE Porro Prism for money in your mid-price range. It's optical performance will blow all of your other mid-price range Roof Prisms away! Read about it in this Alula review of top end 10 x 42's: http://www.alula.fi/GB/ Click on "Optics" and see January 2004 review.

Bob
 
I looked at EII but I wear glasses so I think I won't get full field of view. How would you compare the following 10x: 1st group: Pentax DCF WPII, Celestron Regal, EO Ranger, Bushnell Legend (roof)

2nd group 10x; Pentax DCF SP vs. Viper, DCF ED vs. Vortex Razor

I read all about Nikon SE series and I would like to get them but I would like to pay less and get the value for the money.

Regards.[/I]
 
I have the Stokes Talon 8x42 made by Vortex. They are bright, sharp, waterproof nowadays you don't have to pay a fortune for decent binos. I had other binos costing twice the price of the Talon but no way twice as good. I'd agree with Jim and look at the Vortex range. I'm looking for a pair of 8x32 and narrowed it down to Minox BL, Kowa also like the Nikon Monarchs 8x36 which get good reviews.

P H
 
P H said:
I have the Stokes Talon 8x42 made by Vortex. They are bright, sharp, waterproof nowadays you don't have to pay a fortune for decent binos. I had other binos costing twice the price of the Talon but no way twice as good. I'd agree with Jim and look at the Vortex range. I'm looking for a pair of 8x32 and narrowed it down to Minox BL, Kowa also like the Nikon Monarchs 8x36 which get good reviews.

P H
Click to expand...

Meant to include Vortex Fury 8x32 as well and none of these binos cost more than £300 UK Price. :t:
 
buff said:
I looked at EII but I wear glasses so I think I won't get full field of view...I read all about Nikon SE series and I would like to get them but I would like to pay less and get the value for the money.
Click to expand...
Another porro that will give close to alpha performance for a medium price is the Leupold Cascades. I use the Opticron 8x42 version with bifocals and it's excellent.

Michael
 
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buff said:
2nd group 10x; Pentax DCF SP vs. Viper, DCF ED vs. Vortex Razor

I read all about Nikon SE series and I would like to get them but I would like to pay less and get the value for the money.

Regards.[/i]
Click to expand...

FYI: Eagle Optics now has both the Nikon SE 10 x 42 and the Nikon Premier LXL 10 x 32 (I do not see the 10 x 42 listed) discounted to $800 U.S. Not sure if this is out of your price range. I cannot find a review comparing these to the new Vortex binoculars, so I do not know how they would stack up. One informal review found the Premier line superior to the SE (http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/nikon_superior.html). The SE is also not waterproof.

With respect to your second group, one review comparing mostly eight power binoculars found the Viper superior to the Pentax DCF SP and the Leupold Cascade Porros, and optically as good as the more expensive Pentax DCF ED. The vortex razor was ranked slightly better than all of these: http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/2007roundup/chart_main_extended.html
(note, however, that this review is not based on objective tests, but on rankings by a group of birders).

Hope this helps,
Jim
 
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Jim,
The Nikon 10 x 32 HGL/LXL is also reviewed in the Alula Review I linked in thread #9 above. They got an excellent rating.
Bob
 
Buff,
I have the Viper 10x42 and I really like it. I do not wear glasses except for reading, so I really can't speak for the eye relief. All I can say there is that they give me full field of view when I use them while wearing sunglasses or just for kicks trying them while wearing my reading glasses. It is pretty amazing how bright they are for the price paid. I've yet to wish they were just a little bit better. They will be perfectly adequate for probably 98-99% of needs. There is some optical difference in favor of the higher end binoculars compared to the Viper, but for me the obscene price you must pay for the improvement you get is simply not worth it. The main differences that exist between the Razor and Viper is that the Razor has a noticeably wider FOV and is better in resolution at distance than the Viper. The Stokes Talon is optically indistingushable from the Razor. It is a tad lighter, has a tad less FOV, and has a different feel from the Razor, depending on what you prefer.

However the real bargin right now amongst the really good binoculars of the world is right now found with the Leupold Gold Ring HD binoculars. Their price at Eagle Optics has gone to the $750.00 range, down from $1,200. It does not appear that Leupold is discontinuing them. The Gold Rings, to me are pretty much optically indistinguishable from the rest of the high end binoculars. They are heavier than the average binocular, but well balanced. So, if that is in your definition of "mid-priced" ,I would reccomend giving them a good hard look. Take a look at them and try to convince yourself you are not holding a Kowa. That is just about the same price as the Razor. If you really need to stay in the $500.00 range, get the Viper and don't look back.

Steve
 
Ditto on the Viper suggestion for both excellent brightness and a fairly sharp image. I was shocked one day when I compared the Vipers to the Razors only to find the Vipers appeared brighter. Keep in mind I was comparing the 8xs though.

Depending on what you consider "mid-price" I would suggest looking at the Cabelas Euros/Meopta Meostar. Basically the same bin the Euros can be had in the $800 price range and offer excellent performance across the board (brightness, sharpness, flat, well corrected field of view). Their only partial downside is they weigh in at around 30 ounces.
 
I have had my Leupold Golden Rings for a couple of weeks now and love them! They are heavy, and the finish is a little slick when your hands are cold, but what a nice view they have.

The bins were probably were not selling very well in the 'alpha class' price range which could explain the price drop. I would not have bought them at $1200US either, I would have went with a 'proven' binocular. But when I compared them in the store with the 'Z' and 'S' there was no reason not to save myself a thousand bucks.

Good luck if you want a pair. Most retailers with the price reduction have them on backorder due to their sudden popularity, you may get them in time for spring migration!
 
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Thanx or all your help, there is a wildbird store some 25km from where
I live I'll go and check out Viper and probably something diffrent.

Regards.
 
burdup, just to clarify you were talking about 10x leupold GR?
I have read that people aresaying good thing about 8x power but I never found a review of 10x Leupold GR.
 
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